Jackson to Auction Organizers: BEAT IT!

Former "King of Pop" wants to stop planned memorabilia auction

Ah, where do we start here? Since we used up our allotment of artist-related puns and the like in the Kool & the Gang story (below), we'll play it is straight as we can. We wouldn't "Wanna Be Startin' Something" that might jeopardize our journalistic cred.

Michael Jackson wants to stop a planned auction of memorabilia from his career. The Associated Press reported today that the onetime self-proclaimed "King of Pop" is "extremely upset" about the Guernsey's auction house sale and is considering legal remedies. This despite the fact that none of the items belong to him.

Billed as "The Fabulous Jackson Collection," Guernsey's said the 1,100-item auction, scheduled for the end of May in Las Vegas, includes Jackson's gold record for his "Thriller" album, handwritten lyrics for The Jackson Five hit "ABC" and a "Victory Tour" program signed by Jackson family members.

Everything that will go under the gavel May 30-31 at the Hard Rock hotel and resort comes from luggage transportation company Universal Express Inc., of Boca Raton, Fla., which bought them as a lot last year from a New Jersey construction company owner.

The former owner, Henry Vaccaro, claimed a warehouse full of Jackson memorabilia after a failed business venture wound up in bankruptcy court. Michael Jackson and his sister, Janet Jackson, sued to stop Vaccaro from taking ownership, but a Los Angeles judge threw out Michael Jackson's claim in 2006.

Arlan Ettinger, founder and president of Guernsey's, compared the sale to an auction of Elvis Presley/Graceland memorabilia he conducted in Las Vegas in 1999.

"It certainly is in that sphere of landmark, high-profile, extraordinary auctions," he told the AP on Wednesday.

Jackson and his people were not amused, appearing to claim that some of the auction items actually belong to the singer.

"Mr. Jackson was not aware and he is extremely upset that his memorabilia was included amongst the memorabilia that is being auctioned off," spokeswoman Raymone K. Bain said.

(Pictured: the album cover to "Off the Wall," the LP that launched Michael Jackson's solo career in 1979 - back when we thought it would be cool to be like Mike.)